Wide Open ICC World Cup 2015

Billion dollar question now – who will win ICC World Cup 2015? Will it be one of the hosts Australia or New Zealand .Australia has done it four times before, Kiwis have never gone beyond semifinals Can MS Dhoni led India defend the title or will it be the first time for the chokers South Africa? Can consistent cool Misbah do another Imran Khan heroics .His unpredictable Pakistan cannot be ignored. Who knows whether some of the all-time greats like Mahela Jayewardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumara Sangrakara will not inspire the Sri Lankans winning the most coveted trophy at their swansong? What about predictably unpredictable West Indies? Some other fringe teams like Bangladesh, Ireland and Zimbabwe may also shatter the dreams of one or two favorites. It is ODI gamble where you win some and loose.

There are very rare world level contests in any event where at least half a dozen of the fourteen participating countries have equal opportunities of winning the laurel .But at this moment the ensuing World Cup cricket is one such tournament. World Cup 2015 due to start in a little over a months’ time at down under doesnot have any clear favorites .Defending champion India, co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, very strong but universal chokers South Africa, consistent Sri Lanka always unpredictable Pakistan and West Indies, any of the seven teams can go all the way .All of them have equal opportunities Even outsiders Bangladesh and Zimbabwe can cause some surprises. Minnows Ireland and Afghanistan may stand between dreams of one or two. Crickets mega event in down under is really wide open.

World Cup 2015 being jointly organized by Australia and New Zealand will be the eleventh world cup since the inauguration in 1975. Of the past ten almost peerless at that time indomitable West Indies won the first two World Cup in 1975 and 1979 before losing to Kapil Dev’s India in 1983. Bradman’s Australia won the world cup first time in 1987 when world cup first move out from England to India. In 1992 Imran’s cornered tigers Pakistan lifted the trophy at iconic MCG beating England. Arjuna Ranatunga led and Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda De Silva inspired Sri Lanka won the cup in 1996 beating Australia at Lahore .Australia’s rule of world cricket started then on. Next three world cup in 1999 .The invincible Aussies won the next three world cup in 1999, 2003 and 2007 beating Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. The captain cool MS Dhoni led and one and only of his kind Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar inspired India won the cup in 2011 beating Sri Lanka.

World Cup Cricket is crickets Olympic, the most sought after honor for any cricketer .The cup is the trophy all players want to cherish and hold high. Since its commencement as Prudential World in 1975 in England World Cup remains the icing on the cake for every champion one day player and team.In 1970s and 1980s cricket world witnessed the Caribbean dominance of world cricket when they had so many great cricketers led by CH Lloyd. Players like Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Fredrick, Lawrence Rowe, Alvin Kallicharan, IVA Richards,Brian Marshal, Roberts, Holding, Garner, and Croft made them arguably the best cricket team ever. They were worthy winners of the first two world cups held in England when matches were off 60 overs each. In 1983 they were rollicking till a very steady Indian team so capably led by Kapil Dev Nikanj turned the table on the favorites beating them at Lords to lift the trophy. Unfortunately West Indies cricket gradually lost its glory and could never remain competitive at world stage. World cup for the first time moved out of England to India in 1987 when Australia won it beating England despite of India and Pakistan considered favorites in their known conditions. The world cup then moved to Australia New Zealand .Paksiatn were rank outsiders .But Imran led Cornered tigers was steadied by Javed Miandad and sparkled by Inzamamul Huq and Wasim Akram. They survived getting knocked out in weather favored group match against England. In the final at MCG Javed Miandad and Imran batted bravely and then wonderful Wasim through all round excellence won the trophy for Imran Khan’s Cornered tigers peeping Engalnd for the post.

The first decade of new millennium 2000 witnessed emergence of an invincible green and gold Australian team which conquered almost everything that cricket could offer. It went on winning world cup three times in succession and on each time they beat the hottest ODI side at that period Pakistan and India in 1999 and 2003 and Sri Lanka in 2007. India had a great team for a long time with great individual players like Shaurav Ganguly, Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman .But World Cup honor somehow eluded them till 2011 till helicopter pilot MS Dhoni could inspire his charge and another person playing inspirational cricket Yuvaraj Singh could bring for Indian God Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar the most coveted World Cup in 2011 beating another fringe team Sri Lanka possessing some great names like Tillakaratne Dilshan , Muutia Muralitharan, Mahela Jayewardene and Kumara Sangrakara.

Of the ten world cup so far staged Australia won four appearing in six finals. West Indies and India won twice .Pakistan and Sri Lanka won one time each. Two of the most talked about teams South Africa and Engalnd and a very talented New Zealand team could never win it. World Cup 2015 again has come to down under when along with Cohosts Australia and New Zealand , South Africa , India ,Sri Lanka , Pakistan and even West Indies have opportunities to win the cup making it an open -open Cricket festival.
The event will be launched at MCG with the match between England and Australia on February 14, 2014 and the curtain will drop with final at the same venue on March 29 ,2015 .

Fourteen teams comprising of 10 ICC full members and 4 qualified ICC associates divided into two groups will play out initial round for finding 8 quarter finalists. Groups are
Pool A:Australia, England, SriLanka, NewZealand, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Scotland
Poll B: India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and UAE

Not surprisingly every World Cup final had produced a cracking match or featured a wonderful performance from one of the games great which resonates decades later. Centuries by the likes of CH Lloyd, Viv Richards, Aravinda de Silva, Ponting and a near century by MS Dhoni featured the cups that each won for their country. Need to mention also the wonderful bowling spells of Shane Warne, Wasim Akram and Joel Garner in the finals as well. We are sure someone will join the cavalcade of living legends at the Iconic MCG on Sunday March 29 when the final of ICC World Cup final will be staged.
(To Be Continued)